Treatment of grating structures



ug. 14, 1945. H. s. NAGlN TREATMENT OF GRATING STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Decv 16, 1941 .NVENTOR .1945- H. s. NAGIN 2,382,898

TREATMENT OF GRATING STRUCTURE.

Filed Dec. 16, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 YIIIIIL IIIIIIII.

" 7 zzgwm WW Aug 4 1945. H. s. NAGlN 2,332,898

TREATMEEIT OF GRATING STRUCTURE Filled Dec. 16, 1941 4 sheets-shee 3 I INVENTOR Way/M v 7 5 ;/z2J/M/ Aug 14,, 1945; H. s, NAGIN 2,1382 &

TREATMENT OF GRATING S TRUCTURE Filed Dec. 16, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 414W amid Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TREATMENT OF GRATIN G STRUCTURES Harry S. Nagin, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Reliance Steel Products Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 16, 1941, Serial No. 423,141

6 Claims.

posed angularly to the main bars and rigidly connected thereto. In place of cross bars which may be straight or bent, recticulated bars are sometimes used to connect the main bars. The reticulated bars extend along and between the main bars, and are secured thereto but do not cross the main bars.

Such floors rest directly on supports to which they are secured. The spaces between the bars making up the floor remain open and the tops of the bars themselves form the traflic surface, which has a more or less honeycomb appearance.

Under certain traific conditions, it has been observed that vehicles passing over such surfaces have a noticeable tendency to skid especially in wet or snowy weather. Thereis also a tendency for a vehicle to wander especially when the floor includes reticulated bars.

I have discovered that by grooving the trafiic supporting surface of the bars; the anti-ship quality of the floor is much improved and the tendency of vehicles to skid and wander is overcome. I have discovered a method and apparatus for grooving or scarfing the floor which effectively overcomes the difiiculties recited. The scarfing operation may be performed by metal cutters, saws, grinding discs or by burning.

In the drawings I have shown for purpose of illustration certain preferred embodiments of my invention. In the drawings wherein like characters of reference denote like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in plan of suitable apparatus for practising my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section along the line II--II of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an end view in elevation along the line III-III of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view along "the line IV-IV of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view along the line VV of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view along the line VI-VI of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic plan view showing one pattern of grooves made according to my invention,

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic. plan view showing the groove pattern illustrated in Figure 7, applied to one design of bridge floor,

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic plan view of another pattern of grooves,

Figure 10 is a sectional view in elevation of a bar showing the grooves in the top edge,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified detail,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view in plan of a modified apparatus,

Figure 13 is an end view in elevation of Figure 12, some of the details being omitted,

Figure 14 is a fragmentary vertical sectional! view along the line XIV-XIV of Figure 12,

Figure 15 is a view in elevation showing a porlion of the apparatus along the line XV-XV of Figure 12,

Figure 16 is a sectional view along the line XVIXVI of Figure 15,

Figure 17 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a modified detail of the structure, and

Figure 18 is a fragmentary view in plan of a known type of flooring which may be treated in accordance with the invention.

In the drawings (Figures 1 through 6) there is shown an apparatus for forming grooves inthe top surface of the bars forming an open bridge floor and thus improve the friction qualities thereof. The apparatus comprises in general a metal track member, or frame T of inwardly faced channel bars in onedge and a carriage C considerably shorter than the frame and mounted therein on wheels I l and i2 so as to permit longitudinal movement of the carriage with respect to the frame, but no appreciable side movement or up and down movement. On the bottom of the track member T a number of inverted cup members I3 are fastened. These dished members permit the track member to be readily moved or skidded to desired positions along the somewhat uneven surface of the bridge floor, which it is-desired to treat.

The carriage C comprises a platform M of sheet metal or plate the longitudinal sides of which are bent to form flanges IE on which the wheels II and [2 are journalled. The wheels II and I2 bear against the top and'bottom flanges respectively of the side channel bars of the frame.

The platform [4 has mounted thereon a rotatable cutter l6 which is mounted on shaft l1 and platform at a suitable location asindicated. i The 1 cutter mounting bracket I8 is adjusted to a de sired position along the shaft I9 by means of a Y shaped shifting fork 23 which may be adjusted by operation of the cooperatingthreadedrod .24. The ends of the rod 24 are receivedand"axially"' restrained by bearings 25 and 26scn1platform I4i' On one end of the rod 2. hand WheeL 21 is fixe'dly mounted.

The up and down movement of. the cutter. I6 is controlled by the operation of the wheel nut '28 received in slot 29 in the Z bracket 30 mounted F on the platform I4. Passing through the nut 28"is a threaded 'rod 3|"which'is pivotally con nected to a link 32which in turn is pivotally' con;

nected to' the bracket I81.-

The shaft I'I hasa splined' end which extends beyond the bracket I8 and mounted on the end is a gear wheel 33which' meshes with an intermediate flanged gear 34 which is rotatably mounted on shaftIS. Th'projecting sides of gear 34 engage the edges of gears 33' and 35." The gear 34 also meshes witha drive gear 35- which may be driven throughthe. V belt. and pulley drive 36;

from the gear reduction box 31' whichin turn is connected throughthe clutch 38"withithe.prime mover, 'here shown as an internal combustion .engine39. The speed of. the engine 39 issuch and the power. transmission system .to the cutterlIB is designed so "that the cutter is rotated at the speed desired for economically and expeditiously cutting or scarfing the .traflic'surfa'ce' comprised of .metal main .bars 40 and cross. bars. 4 If.

A transverse screw 42*fo'rmoving the carriage.

C is rotatably mounted.andrestrained against axial movement at its' ends .(in brackets '43 and 44) on the end members'of the track memberor frame T. The screw is parallel to the longitudinal axisof the frame. Mounted on the platform I4 and between the spaced brackets 45;'.45"'is.a

worm drive 46 which engages thescrew 42land is initurndrivenfrom the gear reduction box 31 throughitheinterposed clutch4'l'. The screw 42 may alsolbe. turned vby the hand wheels 48 fixe'don the screwat. each'end thereof.

Hold downcla'mps' are connected to the track member T at suitabl'elocations, here shown'as the center. points of the frame ends. Each. of the clamps comprise a bracket49'which may be conveniently welded to the frame. The brackethas a projecting portion} through a vertical slot in whi'chfa threaded rod 50'of a T'member having wing portions 5|" slidably extends. Each of the wing portions have slidably and rotatably mounted thereon an anchor barv 52 having a horizontally extending hooked end 53.- The upper'end of the threaded rod 50 is.engagedby a threaded hand nut 54'. The anchor bars can be swung to a position such as-indicated by the brokenlines52d-in Figure el. Thisis a convenience when it is desired to; move the frame T- .When in anchoring position as in- Figure 3 the hookedends 53 of the anchor'engage the .bottom'edges of thenbars 4I1 v forming the floor. secured to the under side of the frame T .at'a positionadjacent thehold down clamps. The

apparatus may..be.-mounted on wheelssuch'as for Arcuate skid members ;55. are

example as is described in connection with the embodiment shown in Figures 12, 15 and 16.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a portion of a bridge floor in which the grooves are cut in bands in the pattern indicated. In this figure the side of the bridge floor or c-urb is represented by the line 56 and the frame T is disposed so that the cutter bar moves along the bridge floor at a suitablezanglepsay' of abouti45 The bearer bars of the floor usuallylextend parallel to the curb, although in some instances they extend atiright angles. The longitudinal axis of each seriesorbandsoncuts 51 and 51a run in different directions, and this obviates the tendency of the :groovestourge;the;wheels of a vehicle in one direction -Iri Figuner8 the bands of cuts are shown diagrammatically: in relation to the bars forming the .bridgafloor.

The pattern of the cuts shown in Figure 9 differsfromi-the pattern shown in Figure 7. The pattern consists of bands of cuts 60 extending at an' angle to the curb BI and cross bandsGZg'and bands'ifilf'whose axes are. at an angleto the axes of "the'bands'GU" and 62;. The transverse compo,-

nents' of 'the bandsare: less'than the distance apart "of'the wheels of: the usual automobile;

About three feet isa convenient length;

In Figure 10 there'isshown a portion ofa bridge floor'bar 40;the topof which has been cut or.ser.- The grooves bearnumerals' 58 and the lands'thetnur. merals592" .The dimensionof thegroove may be rated "in? accordance" with my invention.

varied, forexampleit maybe to /2"! wide and the landsfrom'r G-f' to ,4 that these'dimensions are illustrative onlyLand that they. can be'larger'or srr'ialler.l

In Figure 11 there is 'shown'a portion of a modified end of the carriage C. In'this construction the cutter bar 64 is mounted so astoproject be, i yond the end of the carriage C and :beyondithe. end of the associated 'fr'amememberT'. The. cutter is driven by thegear 65' which. is rotated by.

a convenient 'drive" such. as-for example'rthat shown in Figures 1 and .2, butinsucha case it wouldbe desirable to replaceithe gear 34iby a link. belt. .An "up and down adjustment of the. cutter bar' 64 as well as a lateral adjustment can beam.

ranged as shown inFigur-es 1 and 2. By. mountmg. the cutter bar in thismanner the operator is enabled to cut'slotsicloser; to thecurb line.

dished cup members 66'. fastened to the bottom at suitable places. Thetwheels .fifll'andllllbearr againstthe 'bottomi'flange of the side members ofthe frame and the wheel 69 bears against thetop flange. The carriage'BT'is moved along therframe by means of a suitable feed screw." .one

end of which is' rotatablymounted in the frame a bearing .13',but.not axially slidabletherein.-, The

other end is received in nut 14 securedtothemar riage. 6I.- The nut is arrangedsothat it.can=-be readily disengaged from the.screw=12-.: Tomove the carriage 61. rapidly, I alsotprovide a rack "15 on the frame and a, cooperatingepinionflfi on ithe 1 carriage. Such an arrangement could alsozbe used on the apparatus shown in ,Figures 1 and;.2,fa

orrany, other =-type of aquick-x-return rm'echanism could be employed.

'1 swivelly mountedon the carriagerzflf atFITis It is to be understood a burner holder plate 18. having one edge curved.

around the swivel and teeth formed in that edge the holder plate is recessed asshown at 8L,

Mounted below the recess 8| are the burners;

82 which are each swivelly and removably suspended from the shaft 83, one end of which is rotatably received in the spaced bearings 84 between which a hand nut 85 is threadedly mounted on the shaft 83 and serves to move it sideways. The other end of the shaft is mounted in spaced gearings 86 between which a worm and gear arrangement 81 is slidably but not rotatably mounted on the shaft. By operation of the worm the shaft is rotated and the burners moved to position them with respect to the surface to be treated.

It is customary to feed the cutting tips with two gases oxygen and acetylene. I provide two manifolds 88 and 89 mounted on the holder plate to contain these gases. tion 98 and BI leads from the manifolds 88 and 89 respectively to each of the burner bodies. Gases are fed to the manifolds from suitable cylinders 92 and 93 mounted on the carriage 61.

At the corners of the frame, I provide four retractable wheels 94 (see Figures 15 and 16). Each wheel is supported on an axle 95 secured to a block 96 on the end of a vertical shaft 91 the upper end of which is threaded and is received in a bracket 98 attached to the frame. The shaft is moved up and down by the cooperating threaded wheel nut 99. The block 96 is slidably received in a groove in the bracket 98. The retractable wheels are convenient when it is desired to transport the equipment for any distance. The wheels are vertically adjustable and can serve to bring the track member to level position or a position parallel to the surface tobe treated, or again the wheels can be retracted to allow discs 13 to rest immediately upon the surface to be treated. A similar arrangement could well be provided in the apparatus shown in Figures l and 2.

At desired points here shown as three, I provide hold down clamps H10, similar to those 'already described.

In Figure 1'7 I show a groove cutter which consists of toothed disks I! of suitable material mounted against rotation on a shaft I02, and spaced the desired distance apart by spacers I03. If desired the discs IOI may be abrasive discs or metal saws; in which cases the cutter will have to be driven at a suitable speed.

In Figure 18 I have shown a plan view of a typical open grid floor. The floor consists of spaced apart bearer Fbars I83 and crimped bars or reticulated bars I joined at the junction point by rivets. Of course the open grid floor may be made from spaced bearer bars and intersecting cross bars. No matter what form the floor takes the top surfaces of the bars can be grooved to give a better traction surface.

In operation the frame is set in desired position on the grating surface and the scarfing tool operated to cut a band of grooves in one operation and for a desired distance. The length of each band of grooves should preferably be such that the wheels of a vehicle will :be at all times on bands which are angularly disposed to each other. Various patterns of bands may be used.

The invention has been described in connection with open grid floors, but it is evident that Suitable flexible connecthe apparatus andemethod lcanbe used wherever 1 it is desired to cut grooves in. an exposed surface and I contemplate usingmy apparatus, preferably equipped withabrasive discs forgrinding parallel grooves in the surface of an uninterrupted trafiic.

surface such asfor example. ispresented. in .a concrete or asphaltoroadway, or in thesurfacel of av so called .armored? floor suchv as is often used inbridge floors. "The grooves. which-are...

thus out can be left open or may be filled with an abrasive or a material different from that forming the surface. The traffic structure which it is desired to treat may be a bridge or the ordinary hard surfaced roadway laid on the grade or on the level.

While I have described certain preferred embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Notice is hereby given of my divisional application Serial No. 576,618, filed February 7, 1945.

I claim as my invention:

- 1. Apparatus for treating the surface of a traffic structure, comprising in combination a mobile track member, means for releasably anchoring the member to the structure, a carriage mounted on and movable relative' to the member and lengthwise thereof, cutting means mounted on the carriage for forming grooves in the surface of the structure and means for positioning the cutting means transversely of the carriage.

2. Apparatus for treating the surface of an open-grid floor, comprising in combination a mobile track member, means for releasably anchoring the member to the floor, a carriage mounted on and movable relative to the member and. lengthwise thereof, rotatable means mounted on the carriage for forming grooves in the floor surface and means for rotating said rotatable means, means for adjusting the vertical position of the rotatable means relative to the carriage and means for adjusting the transverse position of the rotatable means. a

3. Apparatus for scarfing metallic trafiic bearing surfaces of open bridge floors in situ, comprising in combination a mobile frame, means for releasably anchoring the frame over an area of the surface to be scarfed, scarfing means on the frame relatively movable in a horizontal plane at a level to engage and scarf the surface over which the frame is positioned, said scarfing means comprising a carriage with cutters thereon, and means for moving the carriage horizontally in the frame and means for moving the cutters transversely of the carriage.

4. Apparatus for treating the surface of a structure including a frame, a. carriage movable along the frame, a holder swivelly connected to the carriage, said holder having surface groove cutting means mounted thereon, means for moving said groove cutting means transversely of the holder, means for moving said groove cutting means at right angles to the plane of the carriage, means for moving the carriage along the frame in one direction, and means for more rapidly moving it in the opposite direction.

5. Apparatus for scarfing metallic trafiic bearing surfaces in situ, comprising in combination, a mobile frame, means for releasably anchoring the frame over an area of the surface to be scarfed, scarfing means mounted in the frame and movable lengthwise of the frame and up and down relative to the frame to disengage and engage and scarf the portion of the surface over which the frame is positioned, said scarfing 

